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~Milford
Fire Department
History~
~Milford Fire Department History~
A
Brief History
of the Milford
Fire Dept.
Seth P. Carpenter is considered to be the founder of the Milford Fire Department, about the year 1831. For equipment, two old fashioned tub engines were purchased at a cost of $125.00 each. In 1837 the subject of fire fighting equipment was brought before the town and $200.00 was appropriated.
In 1838 Engine No. 2 was formed and Officers were chosen annually, until the Legislature passed an act authorizing the establishment of an organized Fire Department in 1854.
The first really respectable engine house was built on Spruce Street in 1844 at a cost of $1,044.56. A few years later, in 1852, $3,300.00 was the cost to operate the engine and hook and ladder companies along with the new fire station.
The Fire Department was run by a Board of Engineers consisting of a Chief and five assistants. The complement of men ranged from thirty in 1837 to a high of 217 men in 1869.
Water service was inaugurated on January 16, 1882 with 60 hydrants in operation.
On December 24, 1882 the Engineers purchased two new one-horse carriages costing $650.00 each.
The Fire Engineers, on February 18, 1886, at an expense of $100.00 placed a steam whistle on the Electric Light Co. building to sound all fire alarms. On August 18, 1890, the first fire alarm boxes were installed and tied in with the steam whistle.
The Town accepted Civil Service in 1937 for the permanent fire fighters. the next year (1928) Milford had its first full time Fire Chief, John F. Adams.
The Milford Fire Dept. Today
In 1996, the Milford Fire Department acquired a new ladder truck with a 100 foot aerial ladder. This state-of-the-art vehicle will service the town well into the next century.
The entire company consists of one ladder company and three engine companies, one forest fire truck, one emergency panel truck and one jeep tank truck. In reserve as a hose wagon is Hose 4 from North Purchase Street Station. A converted telephone truck serves as our Fire Alarm repair truck.
The department is led by Chief John Touhey after Chief John Taddei retired in 2001. There are 6 lieutenants, 33 fire fighters, 4 call captains, 16 call fire fighters and 1 department clerk.
From the 1995 Town Report
Due to the severely dry weather in 1995, the department was plagued with multiple brush fires that taxed not only its resources but the resources of area town and state forestry agencies as well.
The department is still actively involved in many community projects such as the Muscular Dystrophy fund raising, Toys for Tots, and fire prevention awareness in the school system.
